This proceedings volume contains selected and expanded contributions presented at the 8th International Symposium of Space Optical Instruments and Applications, held in Beijing, China on 15~17 November, 2023. The symposium was organized by the Sino-Holland Space Optical Instruments Joint Laboratory and supported by Beijing Institute and Space Mechanics and Electricity. In recent years, space optical payloads are advancing towards high spatial resolution, high temporal resolution, high radiometric resolution, and high spectral resolution and becoming more and more intelligent. Commercial remote sensing industry has made steady progress in terms of the scope of satellite systems and applications. Meanwhile, space optical remote sensing data has been extensively applied to monitoring of resources, meteorology, ocean, environment, disaster reduction, and many other fields. The symposium focused on key innovations of space-based optical instruments and applications, and the newest developments in theory, technology and applications in optics, in both China and Europe. It thus provided a platform for exchanges on the latest research and current and planned optical missions. The major topics covered in these conference proceedings include but are not limited to: 1) Advanced optical technology and new remote sensing technology for space applications; 2) Advanced optical material technology and space application; 3) Advanced photoelectric converter technology and space application; 4) Space optical instruments and applications for deep space exploration and astronomical observation; 5) Ecological environment space optical instrument and its application; and 6) Commercial space optical remote sensing technology and services.

This proceedings book contains selected and expanded contributions presented at the 7th International Symposium of Space Optical Instruments and Applications, held in Beijing, China, on Oct 21–23, 2022. The meeting was organized by the Sino-Holland Space Optical Instruments Joint Laboratory and supported by Beijing Institute and Space Mechanics and Electricity. In the recent years, space optical payloads are advancing toward high spatial resolution, high temporal resolution, high radiometric resolution, and high spectral resolution and becoming more and more intelligent. Commercial remote sensing industry has made steady progress in terms of the scope of satellite systems and applications. Meanwhile, space optical remote sensing data has been extensively applied to monitoring of resources, meteorology, ocean, environment, disaster reduction, and many other fields. The symposium focused on key innovations of space-based optical instruments and applications and the newest developments in theory, technology, and applications in optics, in both China and Europe. It thus provided a platform for exchanges on the latest research and current and planned optical missions. The major topics covered in these conference proceedings are: 1) Advanced space optical remote sensing application technology. 2) Deep space exploration and astronomical observation technology. 3) Advanced space optical remote sensing instrument technology. 4) Commercial optical observation technology and services.

This book gathers selected and expanded contributions presented at the 4th Symposium on Space Optical Instruments and Applications, which was held in Delft, the Netherlands, on October 16–18, 2017. This conference series is organized by the Sino-Holland Space Optical Instruments Laboratory, a cooperative platform between China and the Netherlands. The symposium focused on key technological problems regarding optical instruments and their applications in a space context. It covered the latest developments, experiments and results on the theory, instrumentation and applications of space optics. The book is split into five main sections: The first covers optical remote sensing system design, the second focuses on advanced optical system design, and the third addresses remote sensor calibration and measurement. Remote sensing data processing and information extraction are then presented, followed by a final section on remote sensing data applications.

The promise of MEMS for aerospace applications has been germinating for years, and current advances bring the field to the very cusp of fruition. Reliability is chief among the challenges limiting the deployment of MEMS technologies in space, as the requirement of zero failure during the mission is quite stringent for this burgeoning field. MEMS and Microstructures in Aerospace Applications provides all the necessary tools to overcome these obstacles and take MEMS from the lab bench to beyond the exosphere. The book begins with an overview of MEMS development and provides several demonstrations of past and current examples of MEMS in space. From this platform, the discussion builds to fabrication technologies; the effect of space environmental factors on MEMS devices; and micro technologies for space systems, instrumentation, communications, thermal control, guidance navigation and control, and propulsion. Subsequent chapters explore factors common to all of the described systems, such as MEMS packaging, handling and contamination control, material selection for specific applications, reliability practices for design and application, and assurance practices. Edited and contributed by an outstanding team of leading experts from industry, academia, and national laboratories, MEMS and Microstructures in Aerospace Applications illuminates the path toward qualifying and integrating MEMS devices and instruments into future space missions and developing innovative satellite systems.

Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts, which has appeared in semi-annual volumes since 1969, is de voted to the recording, summarizing and indexing of astronomical publications throughout the world. It is prepared under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (according to a resolution adopted at the 14th General Assembly in 1970). Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts aims to present a comprehensive documentation of literature in all fields of astronomy and astrophysics. Every effort will be made to ensure that the average time interval between the date of receipt of the original literature and publication of the abstracts will not exceed eight months. This time interval is near to that achieved by monthly abstracting journals, com pared to which our system of accumulating abstracts for about six months offers the advantage of greater convenience for the user. Volume 20 contains literature published in 1977 and received before February 20, 1978; some older literature which was received late and which is not recorded in earlier volumes is also included. We acknowledge with thanks contributions to this volume by Dr. J. BouSka, Prague, who surveyed journals and publications in Czech and supplied us with abstracts in English, and by Prof. P. Brosche, Bonn, who supplied us with literature concerning some border fields of astronomy.